Jade Justice stepping in to replace Brandy Sutton for Brand New Day was a notable shuffle on its own — but what caught even more attention backstage was who had the loudest reaction.

Multiple people within the UTA locker room say UTA Women’s Champion Marie Van Claudio was openly frustrated about Justice being brought back into the fold, and it didn’t sound like the kind of “welcome back” energy you’d expect from someone with Marie’s reputation. Van Claudio is typically viewed as one of the most respected voices in the women’s division, and not someone who goes looking for public spats — which is exactly why this one has people talking.

The story making the rounds is that Marie’s issue isn’t about competition… it’s about respect.

Those familiar with their history point back to 2016, during a period when Van Claudio was heavily invested in helping stabilize and elevate the women’s division. The belief is that she felt Jade Justice never fully bought into what UTA was trying to build at the time — that Justice was “around,” but never truly in it. That tension reportedly boiled over into a heated exchange before a match that ultimately never happened, leaving the entire situation unresolved.

Fast forward to now, and it didn’t take long for old feelings to resurface.

Justice has already been vocal about her return, and once Marie fired back, it became clear this isn’t just a passing comment or a throwaway complaint. People close to the situation describe Van Claudio as focused, irritated, and very aware of the optics: she’s the champion, she’s the standard-bearer, and she’s not interested in sharing the spotlight with someone she believes doesn’t respect the division.

Van Claudio has also made it clear — at least in her own circle — that she intends to keep her attention on what matters most to her: her title reign, and defending the UTA Women’s Championship in the main event of Brand New Day: Night One. But if Justice continues pushing buttons, nobody expects Marie to stay quiet for long.

However this started, it’s already moving fast… and if both sides keep trading shots, the women’s division could be looking at its next major rivalry much sooner than later.